You a top dog leader?

So you say you are a good boss?  Really?  What makes a good boss?  Many things out there to rate what you shouldn't do, what about what should you do?

As we discovered in being a leader, bosses aren’t usually aware that they are bad bosses. The fact is that nobody wants to believe they’re the problem. Nevertheless, there’s a bell curve for all things involving people, which means there are few really bad bosses, few really good bosses, and most of you fall somewhere in the middle.

To me that says, for the vast majority of you, there’s lots of room for improvement. Including myself. So if you’re not exhibiting any of the 7 Signs of a bad boss, that’s great; pat yourself on the back. Still, if you really want to up your management game, maybe even vault into the executive or ownership ranks someday, you’d better start doing at least a few of these 10 Things That Good Bosses Do.

Incidentally, this isn’t from some academic study. These are real attributes of real bosses, culled from decades of observation, which motivate and inspire employees to perform at their best.  Including some of my own real life experiences.

Top 10 Things that make a top dog boss -

1: Pay people what they’re worth, not what you can get away with. What you lose in expense you gain back several fold in performance.

2: Take the time to share your experiences and insights.  Labels like mentor and coach are overused. Let’s be specific here. Employees learn from those generous enough to share their experiences and insights. They don’t need a best friend or a shoulder to cry on.

3: Tell it to employees straight, even when it’s bad news. To me, the single most important thing any boss can do is to man up and tell it to people straight. No BS, no sugarcoating, especially when it’s bad news or corrective feedback. People can see through the smoke and you just damage the relationship long term.

4: Manage up… effectively. Good bosses keep management off employee’s backs. Most people don’t get this, but the most important aspect of that is giving management what they need to do their jobs. That’s what keeps management away.

5: Take the heat and share the praise. It takes courage to take the heat and humility to share the praise. That comes naturally to great bosses; the rest of us have to pick it up as we go. Pat them on the back, shake a hand, say thank you. 

6: Delegate responsibility, not tasks. Every boss delegates, but the crappy ones think that means dumping tasks they hate on workers — i.e., s**t rolls downhill. Good bosses delegate responsibility and hold people accountable. That’s fulfilling and fosters professional growth.  Don't be afraid to roll up your sleeve and help out under crunch time.  Even if your role is taking out the trash or getting food for your staff - it goes a long way.

7: Encourage employees to hone their natural abilities and challenge them to overcome their issues. That’s called getting people to perform at their best.

8: Build team spirit. As we learned before, great groups outperform great individuals. And great leaders build great teams. Celebrate team wins!

9: Treat employees the way they deserve to be treated. You always hear people say they deserve respect and to be treated as equals. Well, some may not want to hear this, but a) respect must be earned and b) most workers are not their boss’s equals.

10: Inspire your people. All the above motivate people, but few bosses have the ability to truly inspire their employees. How? By sharing their passion for the business. By knowing just what to say and do at just the right time to take the edge off or turn a tough situation around. Genuine anecdotes help a lot. So does a good sense of humor.

How do you rate?All this adds up to an environment where people feel appreciated, recognized, challenged, and appropriately compensated. So what do you think? How do you measure up on the good boss scale?

Keep positive!

Scott Arnett
scott.arnett@charter.net

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the many contributions our veterans have made -- and the sacrifices that go along with it. The men and women who choose to serve in our Armed Forces are doing something truly extraordinary.

This year I lost a friend in the Armed Forces and how tough that is but more so how proud we are of him.  My grandfathers and father served in the Armed Forces, and I take the time today to reflect upon their sacrifices and many contributions. 

Whether we agree with the wars, or the politics around them or not, we respect those that serve.  We go to the graveside of the fallen with respect, reverence and leave our agenda, politics and views at the gate.  This is no place for protest, or religious views or rants.  This is sacred ground.

“Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I can not change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.” – Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr (excerpt from the Serenity Prayer)


Today my friends, we honor those that wear the uniform and show our thanks, gratitude and respect.

Scott Arnett
scott.arnett@charter.net

Good Old Days

I was talking the other day to a colleague, one whom I have known over 20 years, and of course we took a walk down memory lane.  Remember when IT was fun, we did this, or had to do that.  But the conversation came back around to what did happen to the IT profession.  Has the IT field changed as much as the technology itself?  Why are the jobs going offshore, why doesn't the business understand, and the conversation quickly takes a turn. 

IT jobs have gone offshore to balance a budget, and make the numbers look good, regardless of quality or the rework that has to take place.  In addition, blind to the security risks and data leak.  Furthermore, IT has become very process heavy - are we killing our ability to provide an agile, fast moving, responsive organization?  We want controls in place to protect the organization from unplanned outages, and to show structure, but has it gone over the top?

IT seems to be this animal the top management can't figure out how to manage or understand.  Some take the easy route and say we will just outsource the entire organization.  To which many has become a disaster and now they have to bring in back inside.  The problem is, have a strong CIO at the table with the CEO, CFO and be a business partner.  Having IT report up through finance or operations usually does not lend itself to high success in the organization.  Time to take a step back and take a look at this key business partner is engaged in delivering business capabilities to the business.

IT technology has changed over the years, dramatically, but so hasn't the profession.  New skills are needed, new process, new management styles.  We have to change to align with the technology, the business, and the change in culture. 

The old IT guys can change, bring your wisdom with you, your battle scars, and always strive to understand first, act second.  There is the ability to teach an old dog new tricks!

Keep positive

Scott Arnett
scott.arnett@charter.net